Originally posted by Don Cardi: I believe that a Hold falls between a Win and a Save. In other words when a reliever comes into a game with his team in the lead, but does not reach the required amount of innings or batters to get credit for a save, it is reffered to as him Holding the lead or getting a hold for his appearance. He held the lead for his team in his relief appearance.
The required number of innings pitched to earn a save is one-third, and the required number of batters faced to be eligible is one.
To get a save, a pitcher must be the last pitcher to pitch in a game won by his team, he may not be the winning pitcher, and he must do one of the following three things:
Enter the game with a lead of no more than three runs and pitches for at least one inning, OR
Enter the game, regardless of the count, with the potential tying run either on base, or at bat, or on deck, and the runners on base were not put there by him, OR
He pitches "effectively" (subjective decision by the official scorer) for at least three innings in a game his team wins.
"Holds", which, BTW, I understand are not an official MLB record - so I'm not sure who exactly set up the following criteria - are earned as follows (according to one website I looked at):
A relioever enters a game with his team leading, records at least one out, and leaves the game without giving up the lead, he earns a "hold".
I believe, therefore, that more than one hold can be awarded in the same game.
